Life After Death
by clearpurity2
Summary: It will come back to haunt me. I just know it. I'll never end. I never should have left. I should have done more. -Not really good with summaries but it will have to do. More information inside-
1. Prologue

Ok, this is my first time showing anyone else my stories so I know it's not that great. People have told me to put it up and so I did. Well, let's hope this is good enough. I honestly think I did better in later chapters. The beginning, "I'm a star, you're a star." is from the song "Stars" by T.a.t.u. I reference the song is just about every chapter.

**I DON'T OWN ANYTHING FROM RESIDENT EVIL NOR DO I OWN ANYTHING FROM HAUNTING GROUND. THEY BELONG TO CAPCOM. **

Wouldn't I wish that owned it? XD Probably not.

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><p>"<em>I'm a star, you're a star."<em>

Date: July 2009

The alarm clock ran but a small petite hand reached out and touched the item though it was unsuccessful after a few attempts to turn it off. Instead, the clock was knocked into the wall even causing the batteries to spill out onto the floor. The woman sat up quickly from under the sheets and messed up her hair, not like wasn't bad enough already. Claire stepped out of her bed, rubbing her head then finally stood to her feet. It was just another day for her, preparing herself for another boring day. She managed to squeeze in a vacation before her next assignment from Terra Save but only for a week. Even though she thought that her day was uneventful, there was always the idea of teasing her brother. Both him and Jill have been hanging out back and forth, even going to her house without asking.

"That's Chris alright." Claire muttered to herself. Once she got dressed and turned on her phone, she went into the living room to check that Jill and her brother weren't there. Besides, who would be in someone's house well before the afternoon? Claire began fixing herself breakfast as her phone began to vibrate meaning it was a text she received. The woman went over to it and saw it was a text from Leon. It was surprising for him to send something so she quickly opened it to see what it read.

'I have a surprise for you.' Is what it said. Claire pondered to herself, wondering what he was talking about. She instead text back 'A surprise?'

Since she was overly curious and anxious for him to text back, her plans for making breakfast were on hold. Instead she received a call from him. This man's actions were confusing her but she answered the phone anyway. "Hello?" There was a slight ruffling sound on the end; no voices. Now Claire was starting to feel worried yet annoyed. Her mouth opened for her to say something but her words were never heard since someone finally spoke.

"_Claire!"_

The woman was thrown back. The voice she heard even scared her. Her hands held onto the phone carefully and put it closer to her ear, forgetting that she was hungry as hell.

"Sherry, is that you?"

"_Yes! Leon was right about you being shocked."_ Sherry laughed on the other end as Claire rubbed her forehead. Even though she was a little annoyed at how Leon "surprised" her like this, it was reassuring to Claire that she managed to hear Sherry's voice. If she did the math right in her head then the little girl was now 23 and of course she wasn't little anymore. She had to see her.

"_Claire? You didn't pass out did you?"_

"Huh? No, I'm fine." She only now noticed that Sherry was no longer on the phone and it was Leon instead.

"It feels like forever since I heard from Sherry. Were you hiding her or something?" Claire asked, raised one eyebrow while fixing herself something to eat. Her stomach couldn't take it any longer.

"_You make it sound like we think she's a monster of some sort but I mostly called to tell you something else. You're able to come here in order to see her if you want. I doubt you'll turn it down."_

"There was no point in saying that then. I'll be over as soon as I can. Thank you Leon!" When they said their goodbyes, Claire happily hung up and placed her phone in her pocket. She felt excited about seeing Sherry and Leon also. They haven't seen each other in four years but the distance from Sherry was even longer. Learning that the girl was 23 made her feel old. She considered she was as Claire had just turned 29, if back in December was considered a recent birthday, but at least Leon was two years older. Once she finished making her food, she tried to eat as fast as she could without choking. The woman just laughed at herself for trying to do so but she was preoccupied with what was on T.V. It was just a simple game show with people that wanted to win money. Everyone wanted to make money but it would make things even easier to win it instead. Claire shook her head, took a sip from her orange juice then sighed afterwards. How "wonderful" it would be if everyone could just win money instead of working for it. Then everyone would be lazy bums on the street mixed with snobby rich people. Claire stood to her feet and cleaned up her mess. Grabbing her car keys and headed to the door but stopped to look back at a small picture frame. It held a picture of her parents along with two young children which was Chris and herself. By the looks of it Claire appeared to be 4 with her short red hair just brushing against her shoulders. Since Chris was six years older than her, Claire knew he was 10 at the time. A family friend took the photo so when their parents passed, he gave it to them. As far as she knew, this was the only picture of her parents. At least there were other pictures of her with Leon, Chris and recently Jill. After that ordeal in Africa she was tired a lot. Now the woman dyed her hair back to being brown but has yet to cut it. Claire smiled at the pictures before she headed out the door, but she couldn't help from feeling that something was missing.

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><p>Cindy walked out of the hospital still dressed in her nurse outfit. Her hand wiped off the sweat that was starting to form on her brow. Since her experience since Raccoon City it seemed like she was treating more and more people that looked like zombies. All the doctors told her to treat them with some sort of vaccine. Gave her a needle and just told her to inject them with it while asking no questions. Would the hospital hide something? Where were all those people coming from? A car horn beeped in front of her as she was walking. It scared her so much that she dropped her bag in the middle of the road.<p>

Quickly picking it up, and the items along with it, she made it across. She was so deep in thought that she didn't notice that she was crossing the street. Next time she might get hit by an oncoming car. She got into her own car and drove home but before she got to her destination she had to make one little stop. She and Elza didn't have any money to buy a boat load of groceries, which they needed, so instead they ordered Chinese takeout. Of course she had to wait a while before the food was ready. Once it was, a young looking woman handed her a brown bag and smiled.

"Here you go! Hope you have a nice day!" The girl replied before she was distracted by something else.

"Rebecca, we need your help back here!" Someone yelled.

"I'm coming!" The girl stated while heading into the back room out of sight. Cindy took her bag and headed back to the car. She was sure that Elza was getting impatient and would call her at any minute, so to prevent that from happening, she hurried to her car, put the food in the passenger seat, turned on the car and pulled out of the parking lot. Even though Cindy was reassured by other nurses and the doctor himself, the thoughts of Raccoon City wouldn't leave her mind. They looked so much like them; she couldn't stop her mind from thinking about the victims. Maybe she was thinking too much as Elza would more than likely say. Cindy sighed as she grabbed the food and closed the car door afterwards. She was finally away from the hospital…also her thoughts. The doctor allowed her to leave early to clear her mind since today felt like such a hectic day. As soon as she opened the door, Cindy heard loud music coming from the family room. A light sigh escaped her lips while she locked the door behind her.

"Elza, turn the music down! It may only be the afternoon but people don't wish to be hearing this!" Cindy was sure she heard her but just waited until she got into the room. Despite Elza being 30, she acted and even appeared like a teenager. Apparently she was listening to a song with men singing about an umbrella. It had a nice calm beat, but wasn't fitting to be a song blasted into everyone's ears.

Cindy walked into the room, went straight to the stereo and turned it off. Elza was only reading a book when she arrived. How could she concentrate with all that noise?

"Hey, you finally made it." Elza responded while closing her book then standing to her feet. It was fun to mess around with her sister but she wouldn't go too far.

"What was the point of playing loud music when you're only reading? I know you love annoying me but this idea just makes no sense." Cindy explained as Elza took the food and placed it on the counter. All the girl did was shrug and smile at Cindy. Elza was too busy trying to find her food which was usually at the bottom, and there it was. Figures. Why would they put chicken at the bottom of the bag?

"How was your very short day of work?" Elza asked while she pulled out her food. Cindy sighed once more before grabbing her own food out of the bag. Her day was confusing but she didn't have a problem telling Elza the truth. At least she's had her share of zombies.

"The people that came into the hospital today were quite…disturbing. They smelled of something foul." Cindy noticed Elza having her full attention on the woman while placing sweet and sour chicken in her mouth. She couldn't help but chuckle quietly before continuing with her story.

"All the doctors told us nurses to do were inject them with a serum and they would be fine. It did seem to work but I couldn't get the smell out of my system or the appearance of them. They just…looked like zombies." Elza took another bite of her chicken when listening to her words. "Maybe you're thinking too much. Just relax for the rest of the day and if something happens tomorrow let me know. If something is strange or awkward, I'll make a call to the police station."

Cindy smiled while nodding her head. She grabbed her box of Chinese food and sat down in front of the T.V with Elza following her. "For now, let's just finish that movie." Elza stated, turning on the T.V though she still had that feeling in the pit of her stomach.

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><p>Manuela held the phone in her hand, staring at the man on the screen. She was quite confused.<p>

"A mission? That's what you want to tell her?"

"_Yeah, don't worry; it's not a big deal. Claire would be better to know that."_

"She probably wants to see you too. It's been four years."

"_Didn't know you were counting."_

"Well, you told me this information over time you know."

Leon made a quick chuckle before shaking his head. He was just visiting his parents and it was sad to say that his mother demanded it. He even felt embarrassed to tell the President, but he had to in order to finally get some time off.

"_Just tell her I'll see her another time."_

"If that's what you want. See you soon." Manuela hung up the phone then placed it in her pocket. A light smile came across her lips as thoughts came to her mind. Ashley wouldn't be so excited to hear Leon was gone. Everyone will have to get over their crushes eventually. The girl even thought that Manuela herself had feelings for the man but she didn't. He rescued her, yes, but she wasn't in love. It was more like a favor that needed to be returned but she really did consider him like…a brother or even a father figure almost. The girl winced, feeling the pain in her right arm. She still had the virus so she had to get transplants every few years or so. Luckily for her she hasn't transformed, and since the government had a tight leash on her she managed to get a job within it. Manuela had replaced Hunnigan as Leon's contact. Ingrid Hunnigan had gone missing not too long ago, maybe a few months prior, beginning to become a year. No one knew if she was alive or dead.

"Well, it's time to greet Claire Redfield." Ever since she was 15, Manuela lived in the United States. She already spoke English down in her South American village but her accent would still be there. Even now she still sounded like she was 12 years ago and even still had her looks of a 15 year old. Of course age had shown in her features but still; Ashley was the girl that told Manuela this along with her shyness. The woman couldn't help the way she was meant to be and she was fine with who she was.

Manuela kept the bandage on her arm to hide the mutation she got as a result of the Veronica virus. She didn't wish to wear long sleeves all the time and no one would argue that having the bandage on instead of fully exposing her arm was better. The man that gave the virus to her father, Albert Wesker, is finally dead so there was no one else to worry about.

"Claire, I'm so happy to see you! It's been so long!"

"How have you been Sherry?"

Manuela heard the two of them happily talking to each other and she walked in to see them hugging. Sherry looked as if she was going to cry which Claire didn't mind at all. She even wore the jacket that Claire gave her all those years ago. Manuela walked up to them both then stood there quietly until Sherry noticed her.

"Claire, this is Manuela Hidalgo. She works within the government along with Leon. I'm just working as a waitress still." Sherry replied while Manuela and Claire shook hands.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Claire Redfield."

"I heard a lot about you, especially from Leon and your brother."

Claire laughed quietly. "Really? Where is Leon anyway?"

"He said that another mission came in at the last minute so he left. He said he would see you another time."

"That man is forever overworked. I feel quite bad for him." Claire responded while rubbing the back of her head. Manuela was distracted by Sherry so Claire took a good look at her. Because of her slight accent, Claire could easily tell that the woman was from some Spanish country or area. She wore her hair in a side ponytail so it was placed neatly along her left shoulder. Her outfit was almost like a white suit but it was more casual than professional. The item that mostly stood out was her bandage that covered pretty much the whole middle area of her arm. Did something happen to her? Claire couldn't ask now since she just met her but of course Leon might know. Claire's thoughts were interrupted when she felt her phone vibrating again, except this time it was Chris calling.

'_He must've just woken up.' _Claire thought to herself.

"Hello?" She answered.

"_Good afternoon Claire, how are you?"_

"Jill? Why are you on Chris's phone?"

"_That's no way to say hello to someone Claire. But if you must know, your brother was too afraid to call you himself."_

"_That's not true!"_ Claire heard Chris yell in the background. At that point Claire laughed enough that she needed to hold onto her stomach to try and assuage the pain and she could feel the eyes of Manuela and Sherry staring at her but that didn't matter. What would Chris be afraid of? Maybe he thought she had a boyfriend, or something happened to her while they were away? If he was concerned, he would call immediately but Jill must've put something in his head to hesitate calling her. She listened to Jill laugh at her brother also but held hers in a little better than Claire.

"_I'm kidding Chris. We called to check up on you Claire and to ask if you had time to spend with old people like us. "_

"Old people? I'm old too so I'm fine with hanging out with you all. Oh, do you think I can bring some other people with me? It might also depend on where we're meeting at."

"_Of course, and Rebecca says hello. She went to go change out of her work clothes. She smells like Chinese food."_ Jill added as an afterthought and both of the women laughed. Claire was glad for this call but it was unfortunate that Leon wouldn't be able to come. Maybe she would give him a call later on or after this one.

"_We plan on going to a restaurant for dinner so bring whoever you want, as long as they don't add up to be a parade."_

Claire laughed quietly. "Don't worry; I doubt they will cause any trouble for you."

"_I know, I trust you. We'll see you soon then."_ Jill and Claire hung up from each other then Claire looked back at Manuela and Sherry. They watched her for a while but it didn't appear that they were annoyed with her being on the phone. "Sorry about that but do you both wish to come with me for dinner? My brother and his friends are coming also."

She watched their expressions and Manuela simply nodded while Sherry grabbed her hands. "Of course!"

Claire smiled then looked down at her phone again, dialing a number. Sherry watched her with interest.

"Who are you calling now?"

"Leon. I want to know if he's able to come or not, **if **he really is on a mission." Claire looked over at Manuela and winked at her, letting her know that she didn't hate her for lying. Manuela closed her eyes and sighed, fearing that Leon would be mad with her instead since he would think she told Claire on purpose. Seeing Leon mad wasn't really a common sight around here so she knew she shouldn't worry about it. Claire placed the phone to her ear and it rang for a while until she thought he was going to ignore her call but he answered it on maybe the third or fourth ring.

"_Hello?"_ His voice sounded low as if he was trying to stay quiet so another person wouldn't hear him.

"Leon? Are you alright? Why are you whispering?" She didn't mean to ask so many questions all at once but she was very curious as to where he was.

"_Yes, I'm fine. Is there a main reason for calling me though?"_ He wasn't trying to sound mean but he was having the "devil" staring at him….which was very uncomfortable.

"I was going to ask you if you wanted to go out with the rest of us. You know, Sherry, Manuela, Chris, Jill, Rebecca and me. It's just going to be some dinner like a little get together." Claire listened to see if he was going to say anything but there was silence for a while. A light smirk came across her pink lips when she heard a voice in the background that sounded like a woman. "Do you have your time occupied already Leon?" Claire's voice mocked him, though he wasn't sure if it held the same tone when she was annoyed with him trying to help Ada back in 1998. He scoffed quietly at that memory.

"_The person you hear in the background is my mother. She wanted to see me so I came here."_

"And you told me that you were on a mission because?" Claire held onto her smirk.

"_Does that matter? I'll just see if I can meet you guys later. Right now, my parents are more important don't you think?"_

Claire laughed while wiping her eyes. He could tell that he was annoyed but also amused by the conversation. "Alright, alright. I can understand if you can't so hope to see you another time." Claire said before she hung up with him. Sherry walked up beside her with a curious look on her face.

"So he's not coming?"

Claire looked at her, shook her head but had a smile on her face.

"No, he's not. Not really a big deal, he's dealing with 'family issues' so that's more important than dinner." Claire noticed that within her tone that she sounded disappointed that he couldn't come. Maybe it was because she hasn't seen him in a long time and she even admitted that she missed him. Sighing quietly, Claire patted Sherry on the shoulder and gave Manuela the motion to come along also. This was going to be a strange day.

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><p>Rebecca sat down at the table along with Jill and Chris. She felt so much better after taking a shower and getting clean. The smell of grease stuck to her clothes and she wanted to get rid of it so badly. Even though she was slightly tired of Chinese food, she decided to order some anyway. Her sight then went to look over at Chris, who was already looking at a menu to figure out what he wanted to eat while Jill was doing the same thing though it appeared she already knew her choice. Now the only thing they were doing was waiting for Claire to arrive.<p>

"Hey Jill, why haven't you cut your hair yet?" Rebecca asked as Jill looked up from the menu. The woman put a finger on her chin then wrapped another one of her fingers in her ponytail. She never really thought about why she hadn't cut it yet but she kind of liked her hair being long. She could always cut it when she wanted to but for right now, she was just glad that she was finally back home with all of her friends. Sheva and Josh were still down in Africa cleaning up some things with the remaining BSAA members down there. They said they would eventually meet them in America since Josh has never been and Sheva hasn't since she was a little girl.

"Jill? Hello?"

"Hm?"

"Did you hear me?" Rebecca asked.

"Oh, yes. I never really thought about it but I'm fine with my hairstyle for now. I might change it later on but at least I have my original hair color back." Jill stated while chuckling a little. The woman could feel the eyes of Chris watching her so she looked back over at him. "Does there seem to be a problem Chris?" Jill replied in a relaxing way though it was obvious she was interested.

"Not at all. Just thought that you wouldn't keep your hair like that since I believe you liked your bob cut instead."

"Sometimes it's best to have a change Mr. Redfield so I'm sorry for shocking you." All of them laughed and looked back down at their menus even though they knew their choices.

"Seems like you all are having fun. Sorry to keep you waiting." Claire said as she approached them. They all stood up to give Claire a hug. She found herself hugging Chris for the longest time, feeling relieved that he was safe and normal after his big fight with Wesker. After seeing that man back on the island in 1998, she was hoping he died. Especially after what he had done to…

"Claire, I'm not going anywhere, you can let go now." Chris stated, poking Claire in her side.

"Oh right, I'm sorry." She let go of him while sighing quietly. She was thinking too much and he probably could tell but he didn't say anything. More than likely he would talk about it in private, almost like a family matter. That also reminded her of something she needed to tell him.

"Oh yeah, Leon wasn't able to come but I brought Sherry Birkin and Manuela Hidalgo. You two, this is Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine and Rebecca Chambers." Claire introduced everyone. While they were doing that, she couldn't help but feel alone. She wished she had never thought about Wesker but now he was stuck in her mind. She wanted to gag herself to death.

"It was in the past so I shouldn't keep thinking about it." Claire said out loud to herself but Chris had heard her.

"What's wrong Claire?" Chris stated. He was very stubborn when it came to his little sister so he wanted to know what was wrong with her ASAP but Claire just shook her head and smiled as much as she could without it looking fake.

"Nothing, let's eat!" She yelled quietly as she took her seat. It was best for her to forget about him. She needed to have some fun with her friends.

_If only you were here…_

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><p>Claire walked into her home, quickly took her shoes off then fell onto her bed. It felt fluffy and relaxing like a puffy cloud. Other times she complained about the mattress and Chris said that he would help her buy one but she didn't wish for his help. She buried her face in the pillow, planning on going to sleep even with her clothes on. The night was exhausting but it was well worth it. The teasing between her brother and Jill, and sometimes them both made fun of him. After all, he was the only man at the table. Claire was sure he felt awkward.<p>

"I'm sure Chris had fun, along with everyone else." Claire muttered before she drifted off to sleep.

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><p><em>Claire felt herself drifting deeper and deeper into nothing. She couldn't see nor hear anything. What kind of dream was this? Eventually she felt something beneath her feet, which was simply concrete. The wind picked up, along with the rain, and by the looks of things it was night time.<em>

_"Of course it's dark out. Why can't I have a dream about skipping through a field of flowers or something?" Though she was trying to cheer herself up, when her blue hues scanned the area, she immediately recognized where she was. Claire took a few steps back, shaking her head in the process._

_"No, I can't believe this. It can't be happening. This **can't** be real!" It felt like she was repeating the same words she said when the zombies first infested the airport in Harvardville. The more she thought about it, the more this dream was taking her back into the past. She was back on Rockfort Island. Her breath caught in her throat which made her begin to hyperventilate._

_"Claire, what are you doing just standing there? We need to go!" Claire heard a male voice in front of her and even that made her hands begin to tremble. What was going on? Why, after all these years was she having a dream of this event in her life? Before she could go see who was talking to her, the scene changed to when she was on Antarctica. Now she was freezing to death all by herself. She didn't remember being alone at this part but this was a dream, anything could happen._

_"Ok, just need to head in some direction. Standing here is not going to work." It felt like she had been walking forever until she reached a snowmobile and got into it. There was no plan to ride it because it was no point to run away from a dream. She was merely in there to warm herself until she woke up._

_"Are you confused Claire Redfield?"_

_Another male voice rang into her ears. Her blue hues darted around the area to see who it was that spoke to her but there was no one. "I guess I'm going a little crazy…" When those words escaped her mouth, Claire now heard a light toned laugh filling the air. It was obviously from a woman. Instead of looking, Claire closed her eyes and covered her ears. It was childish, but she just wished that it was time to wake up no matter what time it was in the real world._

_She couldn't breathe. A hang was holding her tightly around the neck, severing her air supply. Her eyes opened quickly after this to see who it was. Her bright blue pupils widened after seeing Wesker's red cat like eyes staring up at her. Her body was off the ground and her hands automatically grabbed onto his wrists._

_"I'm sure these turn of events will be more interesting than before. Wouldn't you agree?"_

_Claire wasn't sure if he was talking to her but she saw another shadow nearby though she blacked out before she could see who it was._

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><p>Claire sat up in her bed trying to catch her breath. That was a short dream but the clock read after 1AM. She was still dressed in her clothes that she wore out so maybe this was the best time to change out of them. "What was that all about? That dream didn't make any sense." Claire said to herself out loud but before she could get out of the bed, her body stopped due to the next thing she heard.<p>

"Poor little Ms. Redfield. You can't get away from something that you've been dwelling over for the past 10 years." The voice was too familiar and Claire didn't wish to believe who it was. Her heart was beating within her chest so hard it felt like she would cough it up. She turned her face slowly in the direction where the voice came, slowing down her breathing patterns. She felt fingers touch her chin and pull her face straight, forcing her to look the person straight in the eyes.

"Don't be afraid Claire. Nothing is going to happen to you…" Wesker stated while having a firm grip on her face. His sentence broke off which made Claire think that he really wanted to add on the word 'Yet' to that but he stopped himself. Now it felt like his very touch was burning her soft skin.

_This was still a dream…right?_

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><p>Well, hope this was good enough! I accept help, just don't bash me too hard alright? I know it isn't that great.<p> 


	2. Sad But True

Chapter 1 is here! I'm just deciding to post this stuff anyway regardless. Lol. Again, "Do we belong?" Is in reference to the T.a.t.u song "Stars". 

**DON'T OWN ANYTHING FROM HAUNTING GROUND OR RESIDENT EVIL. CAPCOM DOES.**

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><p>"<em>Do we belong….?"<em>

Manuela fidgeted within her bed, feeling her arm having a burning sensation. This happened all the time and she hoped she wouldn't wake up Ashley. The two shared a room to have some "girl talk"…as stated by Ashley. Sitting up quietly in her bed, Manuela got out and headed into the bathroom. The pain was starting to get worse as she began unwrapping the bandage. The appearance of her arm was still the same; the skin appeared cracked and green which made it uncomfortable to touch. Manuela was used to it, after all it was part of her body so it was no problem touching it. Nothing was sticking out against her fingertips so she wrapped the bandage around her arm again.

"_Claire…"_ Manuela stopped abruptly once she heard a voice. It sounded like a male but why would they say something to her about Claire?

"_I want…to see her…so badly." _

Manuela knew whatever was speaking wasn't in the room but within her mind. Closing her eyes, even though she felt like she was going crazy, which wouldn't be a surprise, Manuela breathed in and out calmly before speaking.

"I don't know if you can hear me but who are you if I may ask?"

* * *

><p>Claire closed her eyes once Wesker turned her head sharply. At that point she didn't want to look in his eyes anymore. Her eyelids fluttered open and allowed her blue hues to look at his face. The sunglasses covered his eyes but since she was so close the bright red color coming from his eyes still shown through.<p>

"Silly girl, trying to deny your own feelings."

"I don't know what you're talking about but I don't need you to tell me anything about my own life!" Claire yelled while trying to pull her face away from his grasp. Instead he pushed her away with enough force to hit her head on the headboard, and then came along a headache. With her eyes closed, another hand brushed against her cheek. Her heart started beating faster and hard enough for her to think it would break her chest bone. Alexia smiled down at her though it obviously had a hidden meaning.

"Seems like I left an impact on you. Where is he? You want to see him don't you?"

This woman was mocking her but she wouldn't let it get to her. Claire narrowed her eyes towards Alexia and Wesker. Alexia only laughed then held her hand out towards her ear as if to hear something.

"Can't you hear? His screams are just pure enjoyment; like wonderful opera music or church bells."

"What are you…?" Claire's words stopped flowing when she began to hear screaming from none other than **him**.

* * *

><p>"Stop!" Claire screamed until she opened her eyes. Light peeked through the cracked blinds and it took a while for Claire to realize that she was in her room. She flinched when she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders but she stared up into Chris's face.<p>

"Claire, what's wrong?" The woman watched his face and could see that he was overly worried as any other brother should be. Her eyes quickly went over to her clock to see that it was 2:45PM. She had been sleeping for that long? She finally looked back over at Chris in order to answer his long awaited question.

"I'm fine but what you doing here?" She already had a guess but decided to ask anyway.

"Jill and I planned on coming to your house to check on you but you didn't answer when we knocked."

"I'm sorry. Where's Jill then?" Claire asked. She knew Chris had his own key to this apartment so there was no point in asking how he got in.

"She's in the living room. Claire, what were you dreaming about?" Chris asked with the concerned tone coated all over his words. She really didn't wish to tell him the truth, as she barely understood the dream herself, so it wouldn't be a bad thing to tell him a little lie.

"Nothing really, just dealing with things back in Raccoon City. Don't worry about it, so let's go keep Jill some company." Claire stated while pushing her brother out of the room. Before she got out herself there was something she needed to do.

"I'm going to get changed. I'll meet you guys in about 20 minutes." To make sure that Chris didn't argue back she simply smiled and quickly closed the door. For a short time, Claire leaned against the door then quickly went into her personal bathroom. So she was having a dream within another one? She could understand Wesker appearing, sort of, but what about Alexia? Claire slipped out of her clothes as she ran the water until it warmed up. Before the mirror had a chance to fog up, Claire looked at her face to notice red marks on her chin. She moved closer to see that they were in the shapes of someone's fingertips. Maybe it was her own after all, she had weird sleeping habits sometimes. Claire told herself this over and over again as she stepped into the shower to help get rid of her thoughts but she couldn't help but think of one person. Her face went closer to the shower head to let the water run down her skin.

"Why am I thinking about you now? I need to let go…" Eventually Claire laid her head against the wall.

Chris walked back into the living room, sitting in a chair across from Jill. She was flipping through channels to find something worthwhile to watch. "Did she say anything?" Jill stated. She could tell that Chris watched her for a while but she kept her eyes on the screen. The man sighed while leaning back in his chair.

"She just said she was having a nightmare about her time in Raccoon City. I guess it's understandable since that was her first time against an outbreak." Chris averted his eyes from the floor to the T.V screen. It was showing music videos of various artists. He wondered what she wanted to hear on this channel but he didn't say anything about it. Jill sighed as she sat down the remote.

"Suppose so. There wouldn't be anything else she'd dream about?" Jill asked quietly. She could tell that Claire was done with her shower when the water stopped. Chris was silent and she wasn't sure if he was thinking about what to say or decided not to say anything at all. Jill fixed her blouse, stood to her feet then headed into the kitchen. She knew that he was deep in thought about Claire's nightmare but was it really about Raccoon City? It seemed horrible for Jill to doubt Claire but what else was she to do? Asking her about it seemed out of the question, so Jill's thoughts were only her own. Truthfully, after what happened back in the Arklay Mountains changed what they may have liked into something they hated. Even know Jill couldn't forget how she stood there as Joseph was eaten alive by the Cerberus. She felt useless and if Chris didn't come along like he did, she would be dead too. Then learning about Wesker's involvement in most of the S.T.A.R.S. members deaths is something she could never forgive. Jill gripped onto the glass cup hard enough to crack it but luckily it didn't break. The woman snapped out of her mental babble to let the outside world in and noticed Chris beside her.

"Were you getting something too?" Jill asked calmly while Chris gave her a confused look but only shook his head.

"Yeah, but the glass in your hand caught my attention. What were you thinking about?"

"Only about things in the past that your sister might have seen. I was in Raccoon City too when she was anyway." When Jill found out about that once her and Claire talked, she wished that they found each other and conversed. Claire was looking for Chris and Jill knew exactly where he was but he said he didn't want her to know. If he knew his sister, then he should have figured that she would come look for him. Jill sat down the glass to make sure she tell Claire about breaking it.

"I think I might know what's wrong with her." Chris replied. Jill watched him as she repositioned her body to lean against the kitchen counter and fold her arms. "What would it be?"

"When she was held captive by the Ashford family back in December 1998, she lost a friend and she was really broken up about it. She never spoke about him after that."

Jill leaned off the counter and took a few steps towards him. "What was his name?" She could feel her heartbeat increase.

"I believe it was Ste-"

"Hey Claire, do you feel any better?" Jill cut off Chris's sentence once she saw Claire emerge from her room. If she didn't want to talk about it after all these years then she definitely wouldn't wish to hear his name. Chris quickly changed his facial expression once he looked at Claire.

"I feel better, do you guys?" Claire asked. Whatever they were talking about caused them to act strange, or at least a little bit. Jill flipped her brown hair behind her shoulder while nodding her head. Even though she felt confident that Claire didn't hear what they were talking about, who knew where she was during the talking?

"I'm glad to know that you're alright so we might as well go. Call us if you need anything." Jill stated before pulling Chris towards the front door as he appeared confused and dazed. Claire gave her the same look while she waved as they went out of the house. Jill managed to haul Chris outside to the car until he pulled his arm away.

"What's wrong with you Jill? You made everything more suspicious with just leaving like that. I'm going to call her…"

"No!" Jill grabbed his arm, preventing him from using his cell phone once he took it out. The man watched her with a curious look on his face while Jill backed away, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Don't call her right now. Look, I have to tell you something. But first, have you met Steve before?" asked Jill. She could see the confusion on his face now but he seemed to be thinking.

"No I haven't. When I arrived, Claire told me we couldn't leave without him but we got separated by Alexia. She went to go find him alone and by the time I reached her, she was crying. She was in a locked room and I already knew that Steve was dead." Chris watched Jill with interest as she took a few steps back while putting a finger to her chin. Was it really a good idea to tell him what she knew? It wouldn't be good if he told Claire and since that is his sister, she might as well stay quiet about it. But then again…

"Jill?" Chris questioned. The woman looked up at him then shook her head.

"Never mind, I'll tell you later. Right now, we have to go and meet Rebecca. We—" Chris cut her off by placing his hands on her shoulders. Her blue hues widened out of surprise.

"It has something to do with Claire doesn't it? Why else would you ask that question? You need to tell me."

"But Chris…" Jill stopped as she looked into his eyes. It was those same eyes that flashed into hers back when they went through the Mansion Incident along with the time he helped her snap out of the mind control. There was determination in those eyes and Jill merely sighed and closed her own.

"I remember seeing someone while I was still under Wesker's control. It was a tank holding something, or someone, in it. When the drug wasn't being pushed into my system so much, I found myself paying much more attention to it. One day I managed to see the name and it was Steve Burnside. Of course I had no idea who it was and when you told me about some boy being taken by Wesker, once you got back, I didn't even bother asking you his name. Besides, I wasn't pronounced 'dead' yet. It just doesn't seem like a good idea for Claire to know so I didn't wish to tell you." The man backed away from her after hearing the whole explanation. He could easily understand why Jill didn't wish for Claire to know. The girl never talked about the things she went through when she was held captive. Chris always wanted to know but he wouldn't force her to explain.

"Don't worry, I won't talk to Claire about this. Do you have any idea as to where the boy may be?"

"He might still be at Wesker's house if it's still up. But we can't go there now. We have to meet Rebecca in order to pay a visit to the other S.T.A.R.S. members."

Hurt flashed in both of their eyes. There was only four of them now as the others died mostly by the hands and plan of Wesker. They had to do it.

"Alright, I'll call Claire and let her know we are going to pay our respects to S.T.A.R.S."

Jill nodded her head as Chris dialed her number on his phone. As he spoke to his sister, Jill went into the car and sat in the passenger seat. What could Wesker want with Steve or what did he wish to use him for? Maybe they could check once they leave from the cemetery. Chris got back into the car and said nothing as he pulled out of the driveway then drove off.

* * *

><p>Cindy washed off her hands then quickly dried them off. Looking into the mirror, she could tell that the shock, or maybe it was disgust, was still on her face. But now she thought about it more as being fear. Cindy sighed and left the bathroom before heading into another room with a patient. A smile came across her lips as she stood beside her bed. "Are you doing alright Miss?" Cindy questioned. The woman slowly tilted her head towards Cindy before her body pulsed upwards and she tried to bite her. Cindy backed away, smelling the woman's breath or maybe it was her skin. Cindy grabbed one of the needles and injected the woman calmed down and eventually appeared to be asleep. Cindy was so lost in thought that she didn't expect the doctor to be in the room along with her.<p>

"Everything alright here?" The man questioned which caused her to quickly turn around and almost trip. Cindy placed a hand over her chest to somehow calm down her beating heart.

"Oh, yes, everything is fine. Um, she's sleeping now." The woman replied though the nervousment was in her tone. Maybe because she was seeing the man's eyes for the first time. The pupils of his eyes were green that reminded her of the earth. Cindy fixed the tray that the needles were on since she was so nervous that her hands were shaking and she messed it up. "Are you feeling better?" He asked her but she quickly shook her head.

"Don't worry about me Sir. I'll go continue my work plan so thank you." Cindy replied as she left the room. Now it seemed like it was best to tell Elza that something strange was really going on. The rest of her day was normal, if it could be called that, so she felt somewhat satisfied. It was well into the evening now so her shift was over. Before she left, Cindy saw the doctor talking to a strange woman with blonde hair who actually looks like the person that almost bit her today. The doctor had shades on though his uniform was still on. Did he plan on going somewhere? Cindy shook her head in order to stop herself from staring at them for too long; it would just make things more complicated and awkward. She headed out of the door, slightly feeling the eyes of someone on the back of her neck. It was creepy but she kept her gaze straight ahead. Getting into her car, Cindy sat her bag in the passenger seat but sighed heavily. She just wished to calm down a bit after having random hospital patients reaching and grabbing for her. Today wasn't the first time but no matter how many times it happens, she still gets scared.

Cindy turned the car on and began driving to her house. Elza told her that she managed to buy groceries earlier so they didn't need to order something like the other day. Once she got home, Cindy walked into the house not expecting Elza to still be out. The woman rubbed her temple while only shaking her head. "I might as well make some food. She may not eat it until late tonight but I'm sure she will be staring."

Cindy didn't really know exactly what Elza did as a job but most of the time it brought in a lot of money. She even approached Elza to ask her if she was selling her body to men. The girl just laughed at her while calling her silly for thinking that. Cindy didn't really believe Elza to be a prostitute or anything like that but it didn't hurt to ask…just to make sure.

"It might be a good idea to call her just to check up on her." Taking out her cell phone, Cindy quickly dialed her sister's number and waited patiently as it rang. It felt like forever until she finally picked up before it went to the answering machine.

"_Hello?"_

"Hey Elza, everything alright?" Cindy could hear shuffling of papers in the background.

"_Yeah, just had some extra paperwork to do. Cliché huh? But I shouldn't be too long."_ Cindy smiled as she fumbled around with pots and pans to fix dinner. She had no idea what to make but it was best to create something than nothing at all.

"_So you're making food?"_ Cindy could just see Elza smiling due to the tone of her voice.

"Someone has to do it don't they?"

"_Heh, I guess you're right. Well, I'll be back home soon. I'll give you a call when I'm on my way."_

Cindy nodded her head though she knew that Elza couldn't see it. "Alright. Talk to you later." Cindy ended the conversation and continued along with her cooking.

* * *

><p>Ada fixed her red dress as she walked into the room with Elza. "Seems like you're having fun, or should I say trouble?"<p>

Elza heard Ada's words but didn't turn around to see her. She already knew how the woman reacted so there wasn't any point of seeing her. "Aren't you supposed to be with your man? Leon right?" Elza heard Ada laugh. She didn't hate this woman; this was just their way of communicating. Elza finally turned towards her with a smirk across her lips waiting for an answer. It was curious as to what Ada says, especially about Leon. Things around them seemed very complicated but it looked like she had something for him.

"What does it matter? Anyway, I only wanted to show you something."

"Huh, what would that be?"

Ada simply turned away and as she walked out, all she said was, "Hurry up."

Elza followed her into a laboratory that she never seen before. Actually, she wasn't really permitted to enter this specific facility which was strange. Then how did Ada manage to get access to this? It was more than likely because she "served" this Organization longer than herself. Elza stopped quickly to see Ada in front of some sort of tube. The color of the water made it hard for her to see whatever was in it.

"I shouldn't be showing you this so say nothing of this. I've grown curious as to where you came from and your background then I stumbled against this." Ada stated before she left quietly and eventually heard Elza's quiet cries. Even if the girl wanted to do something it wasn't possible. Now that she thought about it, maybe paying Leon a visit is a good idea. Ada smirked.

* * *

><p>Leon sighed heavily once he finally walked into his house. He hasn't been in it for so long it's as if he had forgotten what it looked like. For now, he had some peace and quiet so he might as well get some sleep. Knowing him, he might sleep until the next day as he was "famous" for oversleeping.<p>

"Visiting parents is always an adventure in itself." The man closed his eyes as he sat onto the couch. His mind went to think about Claire. Maybe he should call her back just to let her know everything is fine. Leon groaned before he leaned up to take out his cell phone. He dialed in her number but stopped halfway to hear a knock on the front door. He prayed that it wasn't someone from work telling him there was something else he had to do. Opening the door, he saw that there was no one there. Was someone trying to play a trick on him? Either way, he closed the door then sat back down to continue calling Claire. Once he confirmed the number, it rang until the answering machine came on. Maybe she was busy so she had no time to pick up.

Now seemed like a good idea to get some sleep as he headed towards his room…until he felt a swift, but hard, blow to his stomach that pushed him into the wall. His body felt stiff, as if someone was pinning him down. Before he could get off of the ground, Leon felt a tight grip around his neck, making him gasp for air. Due to the pressure, he couldn't even open his eyes to see who, or what, was choking him. Obviously it didn't feel like human hands. After a while, he felt lightheaded and soon his body fell to the ground. The pain in his abdomen was sharp, which prevented him from getting to his feet. Opening his eyes, all he saw was a blurry image of something moving around. The last thing he heard was the sound of wire scraping against something metal.

* * *

><p>Rebecca, along with Jill and Chris, walked through the cemetery to a certain spot that most of the S.T.A.R.S. members were located. Of course there were no bodies in the graves but they thought of it being a rest for their souls. First one they reached was Joseph Frost, as he was the first one killed. Jill closed her eyes but nodded her head in understanding. He was in a better place that was free from pain, especially the type he went through.<p>

"Why couldn't I help him? Why did I act so helpless?" Jill questioned out loud. She still felt mad at herself for foolishly standing there as he was being eaten alive. Rebecca and Chris watched her but said nothing. It was better that way. There was nothing said as they continued their path through the graves. Rebecca really felt like she didn't have enough time to spend with Bravo Team. She had no idea that they had died before she even saw the mansion. When they got to Sullivan she could see the disgust on their faces. It wasn't because they hated him, but because they saw how he died. Chris told Rebecca, or she at least overheard, that his neck was eaten through by a zombie. He didn't have a chance at living. But Rebecca knew that walking in on a man getting his neck eaten through had to be disturbing. He struggled to breathe but couldn't and quickly died. If she was there, she wouldn't know how to respond after seeing something like that. She didn't know him that well but he was a really nice person, even had his own kids. Rebecca talked to his family a while after the event to let them know what happened and she felt horrible. Now, she visited them occasionally and they treated her like family.

But this wasn't Rebecca's biggest challenge for today as the one person she managed to get close to and befriend, from her own team no less, was next. Rebecca held her breath once she reached Richard's grave. Jill, Chris and Rebecca could all agree that he was a very kind man. No matter what was going on around them, he had a smile and continued to show his kindness to everyone; not even a hint of fear. Jill closed her eyes then looked over at Chris. If they wanted to check Wesker's mansion then it was best to leave now. Jill waited for him to nod before she looked at Rebecca. She was staring at the tombstone, nothing more.

"Rebecca, we should go. We'll drop you off at home."

"I'm sorry, but do you think I can stay here for a little bit longer? I'll meet up with you." Rebecca stated as she kept her gaze on the tombstone. They quickly understood her feelings. If she wished to stay here then their plans to find Steve would just have to wait. Besides, rushing her wasn't an option as they understood her pain and if they were in the same situation, they would like to take their time.

"Alright, call us if you need anything. We'll be waiting in the car." Chris replied as he and Jill hesitated in leaving her. Rebecca kneeled down on the ground, touching the tombstone with her fingertips. He was really the only person she had a chance to spend time with from her own team but it also felt like that for both teams combined. She spent the rest of her time following Chris around but she never forgot about the innocent people that lost their life in that mansion. Before she knew it, her sight began to blur and tears fell down her face. It was her fault wasn't it? He was poisoned because of her inexperience. Despite knowing he was going to die, Richard was calm while Rebecca felt her heart breaking as she told Chris about a serum. She never blamed Chris for not getting the antidote fast enough for she blamed herself after all these years. Rebecca covered her eyes when she felt her cries coming in stronger. Her shoulders began shaking and it felt like her breath was caught in throat. She was 29 years old and still crying about this? Was it considered being weak? Right now she didn't care at all. _There's no age limit to crying._ She thought to herself briefly.

"I'm sorry Richard. I wish I could change what happened. Why did you have to die? I don't understand why everyone died besides me. Was this a lesson I needed to learn? I don't…understand…" Rebecca couldn't control her tears no longer as they slipped through her fingers. The grunts coming out of her mouth got slightly louder but quickly stopped when she heard rustling from the bushes. If she had paid any attention to her surroundings then she would see that the sun had already set. Wiping her eyes, and sniffing up any snot that may have appeared, Rebecca went towards the bush carefully to see if it was either Chris or Jill though it could be both. Maybe they were tired of waiting and decided to scare her instead.

"Hey, there's no point in hiding there. Sorry I took so long." There was no answer and Rebecca felt her body tense up. Were they really there or was it something else? When she finally reached the bush, the only thing that jumped out was a squirrel. It scared her enough to fall onto her bottom and squeal. Taking in deep breaths to calm down her beating heart, Rebecca stood to her feet and laughed quietly.

"I'm getting paranoid so I might as well call Chris and Jill I'm on my way. Hopefully they won't be-" Her words were cut off as someone grabbed her from behind. From the smell it was easy to determine that it was a zombie.

"Ahh! Get off of me!" Rebecca yelled though she was sure that no one could hear her. Its breath was against her neck as it was about to bite her but she elbowed them in the face. Once she was free, she felt around to be reminded she had no weapons. Her next best option was getting to Chris and Jill. Before she could start to run, the same zombie grabbed her foot.

"Stop!" She yelled while shaking her foot to get him off but soon became distracted by other random moans. Numerous zombies emerged from the dark shadows of the trees, eventually surrounding her. _Where are they all coming from? I don't understand! Is this how I'm going to be killed?_ The thoughts went through her mind as she closed her eyes as a gunshot rang through her ears. A few zombies that were in front of her were killed and eventually the one that was touching her was killed also. Again, Rebecca wasn't able to see who it was since she had to worry about herself. She kicked more zombies away then barely caught the gun that was thrown at her. She was expecting Jill and Chris but it was neither. Rebecca bit onto her lips then licked them since she began to get nervous and a little confused.

"What's wrong princess? Oh, you're shocked by how good I look right?"

"Billy?" She stated at first but quickly found herself blushing. "Stop calling me that!" Rebecca didn't even notice herself grabbing a rock and throwing it at him, nearly hitting him in the face.

"Whoa, calm down. We should be more worried about these things here." He calmly stated while he turned back to the zombies. Rebecca held onto her gun and began shooting them in their heads along with Billy. This felt like a dream but she had to stay focused. Once they were done, Rebecca looked back at Billy to notice him staring at her. She found herself blushing again. "What?" She asked.

"You have been thinking about me. You still have my dog tags." Billy said while pointing to her chest. Rebecca looked down to notice the tags hanging out of her shirt. She had even forgotten that she wore them but luckily they were in the confounds of her shirt. Rebecca couldn't hide her blush so Billy could easily see it.

"Aw, you didn't notice did you? That's adorable what you do with your face there."

Rebecca gritted her teeth and before she could say anything, another voice rang through her ears.

"Rebecca, are you ok?"

"Where are you?"

Chris and Jill were looking for her. Obviously they must've heard the gunshots. Rebecca quickly looked over at Billy and couldn't help but push him near the bushes.

"You need to hide. No one can know you're around right now." She felt bad for doing this but it was the best solution, and she knew he understood too. He gave her a piece of paper then nodded before he left as quickly as he appeared. Right after that Rebecca ran towards Chris and Jill to meet them halfway…after making sure she had no blood on her clothes.

"Are you alright?" Jill asked with the concern evident in her voice. Rebecca smiled and nodded her head.

"Yeah, there were a few zombies around so I shot them. Let's go before the come back!" Rebecca quickly pushed both Chris and Jill along before they could ask any more questions. She knew they were concerned but she didn't really feel like telling them. Before they pulled out of the cemetery, Rebecca opened the piece of paper that had Billy's phone number printed on it. A light smile came across her lips and it also prevented her from hearing what Jill was asking her.

"Huh?

"I said do you want to be dropped off at home?"

"Oh, sure. What are you going to do?" Rebecca asked with a secret meaning behind her words. Jill watched her then narrowed her eyes before turning towards the front of the car. Rebecca just laughed and shook her head. They had a slow progressing relationship but she was sure something was going to happen soon. Eventually they reached her house and parked out front. Rebecca got out of the car but before heading towards the door, she went to Chris's window.

"Thank you. Talk to you guys tomorrow." The girl stated before disappearing into the house. They waited until some lights appeared through the blinds. Chris drove off and gave Jill a quick look. All she did was nod.

* * *

><p>Manuela rubbed her forehead as Ashley paced back and forth Of course she was concerned about where Leon was but she shouldn't worry so much. Manuela knew that he was at home just taking a short break before another random mission.<p>

"You should stop being so worried. Leon is fine, just at home getting some rest."

"I know he's fine. I'm just more concerned about that woman. I think her name was Ada Wong? It's been a long time since I've seen her but then she just randomly appeared not too long ago asking where Leon was. Even now she's so mysterious."

Manuela chuckled quietly. She knew the real reason for Ashley's concern; her jealousy. Ashley stopped her pacing to look at Manuela and even though she appeared, the girl couldn't help but laugh. She truly didn't have any problems with Ada or anything. Maybe it was because she liked complaining. "We should go. I need some more practice in the target room. Do you wish to come along and practice yourself?" Ashley watched Manuela stand to her feet and nod her head.

The house was quiet since many people weren't around during this time though it wasn't really late. Ashley trained ever since her kidnapping in 2004 so she could get better and not be useless as she was before. She knew how to use various amounts of weapons though she really never had any moments to use her new skills. When they got to the training room, Ashley grabbed onto a small handgun while Manuela decided not to take part; it was fine with her to just watch. Ashley prepared herself then quickly began shooting off rounds. The bullets hit their desired target head on with no problem. Even now Manuela didn't wish to fight but only if she needed to. While watching Ashley practice, her arm began to hurt even worse; bad enough for Manuela to grunt loudly with pain while holding her arm. Ashley stopped shooting and quickly went over to her friend.

"Manuela what's wrong? Is it your arm again?"

"I don't understand why but my arm feels…ahh!" Manuela pushed Ashley down onto the ground while she stood. The white bandage on her arm was easily burned away, showing the cracked green skin surrounded by red embers. Manuela pointed her arm in the direction of the targets in the distant and immediately put them on fire. Her blood dripped onto the floor, close to Ashley's legs then Manuela's arm fell to her side with no more life. It wasn't hurting anymore but the blood continued to drip from her creating little fires on the floor. Ashley ran over to her, trying her best to help.

"Come on, let's quickly get you to the infirmary in order to get your arm better." Ashley decided not to ask her about why her arm started hurting randomly but she somehow felt that the woman didn't understand herself. Manuela could only think of one reason for her arm to start hurting; it was nearing time that she needed another transplant. She was glad the organs weren't coming from people that were alive. But the strange thing was that she shouldn't need a transplant. From what she learned about the Veronica Virus, the first 15 years should have stopped the pain but now it didn't make sense. The more she thought about it, her stomach churned within.

* * *

><p>Claire wrapped her arms around the boy's bruised and naked body, unable to stop crying from the scene. She backed away from him, placing a hand on his face. He was so <strong>cold<strong>. His eyes were closed and Claire could tell that her tears fell onto his shoulder.

"Steve, please wake up. I want to hear your face again and hear you say that…you love me."

She wasn't expecting an answer but it caused her to tear up inside as her eyes became blurry from tears again. Her cries echoed through the empty room while she held onto his body again. For a quick second Claire felt his body flinch under her grasp which caused her to back away.

"Steve?" She knew he couldn't be alive but, oh, how she wanted to believe he was!

"You lied…" His voice was deep and vicious. Those words crushed Claire's hope into tiny pieces. The girl was punched in the face, causing her to slide across the floor. Holding onto her face, Claire looked up to see Steve staring in her direction….and walking towards her.

_You need to get up now! Stop sitting here! _Her mind screamed at her but she didn't move. Her body couldn't respond. Steve pinned down her arms, looking into her eyes. Claire could see all the emotions within his faded brown hues; sadness, loneliness but the one that stood out the most was the intense hatred. He said nothing as Claire began to feel his hands clawing at her skin, causing it to bleed. Claire gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, trying to bear the pain. Eventually she felt immense pain in her stomach and she screamed as loud as she could. Without even looking she could tell that his hand went through her abdomen…but she took it.

_This is nothing…compared to what he went through._ Claire thought to herself as she saw his hand aim for her chest now.

Blood escaped her mouth and the floor already felt bitterly cold against her body. She was acceptant of this for she wouldn't have to suffer anymore. She would be reunited with her parents and she would feel no more pain. But suddenly, she thought of someone else.

"What about…?" Is all Claire could utter out of her mouth before Steve shoved his hand into her chest, killing her instantly.

_Chris?_

* * *

><p>Claire gasped, opening her eyes to see herself lying on the couch. Sitting up, she wiped off her forehead feeling sweat run down her face. "That was one of the most violent dreams I ever had."<p>

When she and Chris got back to the U.S after the trouble with Alexia, her dreams weren't even that graphic. Why the sudden change? There was a knock at her door.

Claire quickly rose to her feet and opened the door, coming face to face with Sherry.

"Sherry? Everything alright?" The girl had a big trench coat wrapped around her and her hair looked dripping wet. All she did was nod her head before deciding to say something.

"Yeah, is it alright for me to come inside?"

"Uh, sure." Claire opened the door more and allowed her in.

"You can sleep in my room if you want, I'm fine out here."

"Heh, thanks." Sherry simply said before practically running into the room and closing the door. Claire watched it for a second before she went back over to the couch. "That was weird…" She mumbled. Before she went to sleep again, Claire thought about her dream. The more she thought about it, what happened at the last minute made sense. She couldn't give up on living because what would happen to Chris? He would lose the only family he had left since they only had each other. If it was her choice, Claire would prefer them both to die together, and then the other wouldn't be left behind.

"Mom…Dad." Claire whispered as her eyes closed.

* * *

><p>Sheva stretched her arms high up into the sky, almost as if she could touch the stars. She remembered when she was a child that reaching for the stars was something she tried doing, wondering if her parents were watching from above. Her brown hues were stuck on the stars until a hand tapped her on the shoulder. When turning, Sheva came face to face with Josh. A smile came across her lips as she gave him a hug then quickly backed away. They were prepared to leave for America starting tomorrow and the both of them could hardly wait. After all that has happened in Africa a few months ago, the cleaning up process was a long one but they managed.<p>

"Ready for your first trip to America?" Sheva smiled.

"I suppose so. Seeing how our American friends are doing is even better." They both smiled at each other as they leaned against the railing. It was unfortunate that many people within Africa weren't able to live in a home like themselves. If it was possible then Sheva would use her money to buy people the things they needed. She was once poor and could sympathize with their struggles and feelings. What could she possibly do in the United States?

It was a wonderful night but there was always something to ruin it. Sheva decided to head back to her room in order to rest as they had a long day ahead of them. "Best for us to get some rest Josh. We'll be back…" Sheva turned to him but he had his gun held out in her direction. Was he suddenly going to kill her now? Josh wouldn't do that. She was preparing herself to speak but a bullet scraped against her cheek. Turning around, Sheva took out her own gun and pointed it into the shadows. Who would be in their house? There was no talking, just calm breathing. They both walked over to the spot the bullet came from, still taking cautious steps. Before she knew it, Josh was thrown back into the house, breaking the glass window.

"Josh!" Sheva turned away from him for a short second to have her neck grabbed and her body slammed into the ground. Her eyes opened to see Wesker looking directly at her. _He's alive?_ Sheva wondered. She remembered Chris and herself killing him with two rocket launchers and besides, wasn't he in a volcano? That should have ensured his demise. Wesker smirked.

"Surprised to see me aren't you…Sheva?" He took out his own gun with his free hand and shot her in the stomach as many times as he could before Josh shot him. He didn't expect on hitting him but Wesker went over the balcony, not caused by the bullet wound, but Josh had no interest in wondering where he went. Immediately, he went directly to Sheva.

"We need to get you some help right away. Sleep is not the most important thing right now." Josh stated. Sheva tried to protest against his idea but she coughed up blood instead of words. Josh picked her up and carried her to the closet hospital. They couldn't cancel their flight so she needed to be treated immediately and telling the others would be complicated.

"How…was he still alive? We killed him. I need to warn Chris…" Sheva uttered from her mouth. She couldn't reach for her phone as Josh softly held her arm down.

"I'll call them, do not worry. You just need to relax." He watched Sheva close her eyes and felt limp in his arms. Josh's heart began beating faster.

"Sheva?" He waited a while and knew that silence wasn't a good thing. She wouldn't even make any sounds when he shook her carefully. It felt like he was watching his little sister die in his arms.

"Sheva!" He yelled once he finally reached the hospital.

Song: Sad But True

Album: Resident Evil 5 OST

* * *

><p>That's the end of Chapter 1! Still don't call it my best but oh well. ^_^<p> 


End file.
